


Death Awaits

by XxXxDarkVampirexXxX



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Abuse, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Dark Trio, Dumbledore Bashing, Eventual Smut, Evil Dumbledore, Explicit Sexual Content, Hand Jobs, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Manipulative Dumbledore, Molly-Arthur-Percy-Ginny Bashing, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-14
Updated: 2017-11-23
Packaged: 2018-03-30 12:12:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 16,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3936301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XxXxDarkVampirexXxX/pseuds/XxXxDarkVampirexXxX
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Golden Trio isn't as Light as they seem. Secretly, they plot against Dumbledore as they convince others to join them. In the middle of all this, Harry Potter begins correspondence with the leader of the Dark himself. Except the thing is, Tom Riddle, or Lord Voldemort, if you prefer, doesn't know who exactly he is writing to. How will he react to the truth when he finds out?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Cross posted on FFN. My first ever Dark Trio fic. I've been wanting to do this for ages and finally got a decent idea. And I'm only saying it once, but I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters.

July 5   
_Order People,_  
_Well, it's been three days, so here's my next letter. Nothing much going on over here. Uncle Vernon whipped me raw again, and I haven't eaten in maybe four days, but I've had worse, so whatever, right?_  
_I appreciate those brownies, Mrs Weasley, but I have no desire to eat food spiked with potions, so maybe just, I dunno, don't put them in next time?_  
_That's all for now, I guess. Uncle Vernon wants me back in my cupboard.  
_ _Harry Potter_

July 5   
_Maroon King,_  
_It's unfortunate that we have to go against members of your family, but you've said it yourself, if they aren't open to reason, what can we do?_  
_Have you been able to get anything done? I can't do much from my end, considering I'm back in my childhood bedroom. Horse, Hippo, and Whale have resumed their previous treatment, making it near impossible for me to do anything._  
_Azure Iris and Fuchsia Storm have both informed me that the Chicken guard has been removed. I guess Lemon Sucker doesn't feel I'm in any danger from Crimson Phantom this summer.  
_ _I haven't heard from Violet Mist or Amber Canis lately. Any idea why?  
_ _Raven Serpent_

July 2   
_Raven Serpent,_  
_I've been looking into the prophecy, and as I thought, it's a fake.  
_ _Daddy has a friend who works in the DOM. He's looking into where the_ real _prophecy is and how the fake one got there.  
_ _Blue Moon_

July 5   
_Blue Moon,_  
_I trusted you the first time you said the prophecy was fake, but it's good to have conformation.  
_ _Keep me updated.  
_ _Raven Serpent_

July 6   
_Raven Serpent,_  
_I've decided not to bother with the rest of my family. If they're not going to be loyal to you, then I want no part in it._  
_I haven't really been able to get much done with all the Chicken members around all the time. Lemon Sucker's been here a few times too, and he seems to be asking lots of questions lately, all about you._  
_Back in the childhood bedroom, huh?-and the old treatment? Damn them! Do you need any potions or anything? I can always knick them. I just heard about the guard removal too. No one's saying why.  
_ _Amber Canis has been sent out to try and recruit the others like him by Lemon Sucker, which is probably why you haven't heard from him. Violet Mist is with Slate Lupus at his hideout. She's been doing research, and you know how she gets. I told her you're worried, so you should be hearing from her soon enough.  
_ _Maroon King_

July 8   
_Maroon King,_  
_What has Lemon Sucker been asking? Does he seem at all suspicious?_  
_Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. They know they can't kill me anyway. Healing myself would only make things worse.  
_ _So he sent Amber Canis out again, huh? It's futile. The werewolves have already agreed to join the Dark.  
_ _Raven Serpent_

July 7   
_Raven Serpent,_  
_I'm sorry I didn't write to you earlier. I got caught up in my research. Maroon King told me you were worried, and that's the last thing you need right now._  
_I'm really close to making a breakthrough here though. Lemon Sucker may have been keeping information about the scar, info that's very_ very  _important. It could be having more of an impact than we thought. Much more._  
_Anyway, I'll get back to you later. Oh, and Slate Lupus says hello.  
_ _Take care,  
_ _Violet Mist_

July 8   
_Violet Mist,_  
_I'm glad you're alright, and I appreciate all the extra research you've been doing.  
_ _Keep me updated though, okay?  
_ _Raven Serpent_

  
July 8   
_Order People,_  
_Another three days already, so here's the letter to prove I'm still alive. If there's any blood on the parchment, disregard it. Dudley broke my nose again.  
_ _Harry Potter_   


July 9   
_Raven Serpent,_  
_He's mainly been asking whether you've been writing to anyone, and whether we noticed anything odd about you last year. We told him no, of course.  
_ _He stayed around the last time your letter arrived, to make sure, but only the letter addressed to the Chickens came. It's a good thing you were able to come up with that alternative method. It's effective anyway though, so I don't think anyone'll be complaining about it any time soon.  
_ _Maroon King_

July 11   
_Order People,  
_ _I'm alive, and I'm not going to bother saying much more, since you won't even send a bloody response.  
_ _Harry Potter_

July 11   
_Maroon King,  
_ _The old man's beginning to get too curious for his own good, isn't he? Well, I'm definitely going to have to thank our messenger when this is all over. He's been doing a great job with all this.  
_ _Raven Serpent_

July 13   
_Raven Serpent,_  
_You aren't going to believe what I've just figured out!  I think I know how Crimson Phantom gained immortality!_  
_It's a bit strange and very dark, but I think he split his soul. It sounds absolutely insane, doesn't it? But it_ is _possible._  
_From what I've read, you have to commit a murder after taking part in some sort of ritual. Once the person is dead, half of your soul breaks off and enters a container of your choice. This is called a Horcrux. And yes, while practically unheard of, it_ is _possible to create more than one._  
_I also believe Crimson Phantom made more than one. Remember the diary? I think that was one, and I know this will be hard to hear, but there's a good chance that you're one too. It's the only thing that could explain this connection the two of you seem to share, along with your being a Parselmouth._  
_I'm still doing more research though, so don't freak out on me, okay? Slate Lupus has a lot more books here for me to go through.  
_ _Please just ask if you have any questions.  
_ _Violet Mist_

 July 14  
 _Violet Mist,  
_ _I honestly don't know what to say. He split his_ soul _?_ More _than_ once _? I know he's into immortality, but this just seems insane. But I guess at the same time, it makes sense._ "I, who have gone further than anybody along the path that leads to immortality."  _That was what he said. He also said his goal was to conquer death.  
_ _But if you're right, and the diary was a Horcrux, wouldn't he have been really young when he first killed? The diary had his sixteen year old self embedded within, right? Which means he had to have been sixteen when he created it.  
_ _You also said you split half your soul, right? Then his first Horcrux should have the biggest piece, and the rest would be much smaller. I suppose there would also be the question of how many he's made.  
_ _I'm one of them, huh? That's-that's crazy, but you're right, it would definitely explain a lot. Why is he trying to kill me then? If I really am carrying a bit of his soul inside me, wouldn't killing me the last thing he would want? If you destroy the container, then the soul piece is destroyed too, right?  
_ _I promise to remain calm, okay? Let me know what else you come up with.  
_ _Raven Serpent_

 July 13  
 _Raven Serpent,  
_ _I just heard about the whole Horcrux thing from Violet Mist. It's probably the most insane thing I've ever heard, but when has anything about Crimson Phantom actually_ been _sane?  
_ _...I just thought of something. Maybe he's insane_ because _of the Horcruxes. The more he makes, the smaller the piece of soul in his body gets, right?  
_ _Er, how're you holding up? Vi said there's a good chance that you're one of these soul pieces. That's gotta be hard to take in. Don't do anything crazy, yeah?  
_ _Maroon King_

  
July 14   
_Maroon King,_  
_You guys worry too much. I'm fine. I agree with it being one of the most insane things ever, but what can I do about it, really?_  
_So the more he splits his soul, the more insane he gets, huh? Which means that he wasn't always insane. I was wondering about that recently. Some of his Corpse Munchers didn't seem like they would willingly follow an insane leader. It would make sense if he was sane when all this started, and then became insane by messing around with all this Horcrux stuff._  
_What do you think?  
_ _Raven Serpent_   


July 14   
_Order People,  
_ _I'm alive.  
_ _Harry Potter_

July 17   
_Order,  
_ _Alive.  
_ _HP_

July 15   
_Raven Serpent,_  
_Others_ have  _created Horcruxes before, so Crimson Phantom claiming that he's gone further than anyone else basically confirms that he's made more than one or two. I wonder how many there are?_  
_And yes, the fact that the diary had his sixteen year old self within it means he was sixteen when he created that Horcrux. I also think it's safe to assume, judging by what the diary self was doing, that it was the very first Horcrux, meaning it contained the largest piece of his soul: half._  
_I don't really know why Crimson Phantom is trying to kill you, despite you very likely harbouring a piece of his soul. My guess would be that he doesn't know. The prophecy is why he's targeting you in the first place, but he probably has no idea just how much he would need you alive._  
_I'm surprised you didn't ask me about how to remove the Horcrux yet. I haven't figured it out, but I'm getting there.  
_ _Write to Slate Lupus, will you? He's getting a bit...moody again, probably because you can't be around and Amber Canis is away on that mission for Lemon Sucker.  
_ _Violet Mist_

  
July 17   
_Violet Mist,_  
_Knowing Crimson Phantom, he's probably made a crazy amount of them, plus one unknown one._  
_So, what happens when a Horcrux is destroyed? What happens to the soul in the container? Is it destroyed as well? Or does it go back to the original? I mean, if the diary really_ did _hold half of his soul, what if it went back to him after I destroyed the diary? If the reason for Crimson Phantom being insane is the tiny soul piece left inside him (Maroon King should have filled you in) if the diary soul piece returned to him, wouldn't there be a chance to regain sanity?_  
_I wonder if Lemon Sucker really knows that I'm a Horcrux. If he does, and he's practically forcing me to fight Crimson Phantom, isn't he just setting us both up?_  
_Don't worry about Slate. I'll write to him.  
_ _Raven Serpent_   


July 17   
_Slate Lupus,_  
_Stop moping. You'll see both Amber Canis and I again soon enough. I'm alright, and I'm sure he is too. He's done this before, hasn't he? He knows what he's doing._  
_Violet Mist has a lot of research on her plate, so why don't you help her out? Knowing her, she's probably freaking out because she hasn't had the time to do her summer homework yet.  
_ _Amber and I will be back soon, alright? So make sure to eat properly. And stop drinking so much!  
_ _Raven Serpent_

July 16   
_Raven Serpent,_  
_I've been speaking to some of my contacts at Gringotts, and all of them have said that if you haven't heard your parents' wills yet, a_ "great injustice" _has been done. They've confirmed what we thought about your magical guardian though. Because of Slate Lupus' current status, he can't be your guardian, and hasn't legally been, since before the death of your parents. Lemon Sucker definitely_ is  _your magical guardian.  
_ _If your parents suggested other guardians in their wills, then Lemon Sucker neglecting their choices is illegal. He's also had their wills sealed, so no one else can hear them. Your best bet right now would be to get to Gringotts when you can, and have the wills unsealed yourself. As their son, Lemon Sucker or not, you can do so.  
_ _Jade Knight_

July 17   
_Jade Knight,_  
_So Lemon Sucker's my magical guardian, huh? I know we were guessing that, but it's still surprising to know it's true. I can't believe he didn't even bother to tell me.  
_ _I don't know when exactly I'll be able to get to Gringotts, considering where I am right now, but I appreciate you looking into this for me.  
_ _Raven Serpent_

July 18   
_Raven Serpent,_  
_I've been reading up on lots of Pureblood related stuff lately (Gran's orders), because I'll be of age in a year, and I came across something I thought would both interest and help you._  
_All the old, influential Pureblood families have what are called Lordships (Ladyships). If you're the child of one, then you're an Heir. Silver Dragon is an Heir, his father, Platinum Pride, a Lord. I'm an Heir, and since dad's incapable, Gran is Lady. Maroon King's family isn't all that old, nor is it very influential, so they don't have Lords. Your family does. You are currently Heir._  
_If there is no current Lord or Lady, an Heir can legally claim the title at fourteen years old. This means that you, at nearly sixteen, can claim the title of Lord at any time._  
_Accepting your Lordship means you're at the head of the Family, meaning even if you aren't actually of age, you are considered as such by law, of age, I mean._  
_If you accept your Lordship, you won't need a magical guardian any more, which means you will legally be able to leave your relatives' house, and_ no one _could force you to go back. Ever.  
_ _Try to accept your Lordship as soon as you can. I think that would be best.  
_ _Almond Badger_

July 20   
_Almond Badger,_  
_That is some fantastic information. I'm trapped here for right now, because of the trackers Lemon Sucker's got on me, but I'll be sure to get to Gringotts the moment I can. Jade Knight wishes for me to do the same for my parents' wills.  
_ _Thanks for the info.  
_ _Raven Serpent_

July 19   
_Raven Serpent,_  
_I'm supposed to be taking care of you, kiddo, not the other way around. And I'm not moping! But I promise to eat and cut back on the drinking anyway, okay?  
_ _You doing alright over there?  
_ _Slate Lupus_

July 20   
_Slate Lupus,_  
_I can't help it that you're more childish than me sometimes._  
_But anyway, we need to find a way to get your status cleared. We all want you free, but everyone knows Lemon Sucker isn't going to do anything about it. It's actually a good thing they think you're dead right now. Maybe we can give him a heart attack when he finds out you aren't. Wouldn't that be nice?  
_ _And I'm fine. Don't worry about me.  
_ _Raven Serpent_

July 20   
_Order,  
_ _Alive.  
_ _HP_

July 22   
_Raven Serpent,_  
_I haven't been able to find how exactly they can be destroyed yet, but I've read that when the Horcrux_ is _destroyed, that is to say, the container is destroyed, the soul piece within does indeed return to join with the original soul._  
_Knowing this, it's safe to say that there's a good chance that since half of his soul must have rejoined him by now, Crimson Phantom might actually be sane right now._  
_He won't be 100% sane, considering we don't really know how many times he split his soul in the first place, but he shouldn't be 100% insane any more either, now that he has at least more than half of his soul back in his body.  
_ _Violet Mist_

July 23   
_Order,  
_ _Alive.  
_ _HP_

July 23  
_Violet Mist,  
_ _I'm thinking of starting up some sort of correspondence with Crimson Phantom. As Raven, obviously. If what you read is true, even if he's not completely sane yet, he shouldn't be fully insane either, which means he might at least listen to what I've got to say, right?  
_ _Raven Ser-_

July 25  
_Raven? Is everything okay? I never got a reply to my last letter.  
_ _VM_

 July 26  
 _Order,  
_ _Alive.  
_ _HP_

July 28  
_Come on, Raven, answer! This isn't normal and you're starting to scare me.  
_ _VM_

July 28  
_I know it isn't like you to joke like this, Raven, but Violet's terrified, so if you can get a response to one of us, do it, yeah?  
_ _MK_

July 28  
_What's going on over there, kiddo? It isn't like you to not reply to letters. Violet's freaking out here. Those bastards didn't hurt you, did they?  
_ _SL_

July 29  
_O,  
_ _Alive.  
_ _H_

July 30  
_This isn't funny, Raven!  
_ _VM_

July 30  
_Okay, now I'm starting to get worried. Our messenger is giving you our letters, but he isn't getting anything back from you.  
_ _MK_

July 31  
_Come on, Pup, just let me know you're okay...  
_ _SL_

July 31  
_Alive.  
_ _H_


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Golden Trio isn't as Light as they seem. Secretly, they plot against Dumbledore as they convince others to join them. In the middle of all this, Harry Potter begins correspondence with the leader of the Dark himself. Except the thing is, Tom Riddle, or Lord Voldemort, if you prefer, doesn't know who exactly he is writing to. How will he react to the truth when he finds out?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the long wait. Stuff happened but I won't bore you with my excuses. I loved the awesome response you all gave me for the first chapter, and, as I expected, most of you managed to guess who nearly everyone was. I won't be telling you yet, of course. You'll have to wait for that, but it was interesting to see what you all thought. Oh, and because it's been brought up more than once, the letters from the previous chapter were never meant to be subtle, and the reason for the code names will be explained later on.

Severus Snape was stalking down Privet Drive. It was the morning of August second, and Headmaster Albus Dumbledore had  _requested_  that he go get the recently turned sixteen year old Harry Potter, and bring him to the Burrow, which was currently being used as headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix.

Severus didn't want to have anything to do with Potter, of course, but it wasn't like he had much of a choice. So he had dragged himself out of bed, and forced himself to get dressed in order to get the blasted boy.

The sun had already risen, but the street of Privet Drive was void of life. Cars stood gleaming in driveways, the various lawns were all neatly cut and a healthy green. All the hedges had been trimmed, and many different kinds of flowers stood proudly in the gardens. Severus sneered. How boring.

He walked down the street, glancing at the numbered plates as he passed them. When he spotted Number Four, he came to a stop. Severus sneered again at the sight of the perfect looking house with its perfect lawn and perfect garden, then frowned when he caught sight of a window on the second floor that seemed to be covered with bars.

Shrugging it off as some foolish new Muggle thing, the man headed up the walkway and rapped his knuckles against the door. As he waited for someone to open it, he frowned, wondering whether he was even in the right place. He couldn't feel any magic, which was very strange.

Severus knew he was a fairly strong wizard, and that meant he was able to feel the magic around others. Potter, he reluctantly admitted, was more than fairly strong, and, as far as he knew, hadn't yet grasped how to conceal his magic, which meant Severus should have been able to feel it nearby. But he couldn't, meaning either Potter had left Privet Drive, or was dead.

The door was opened very suddenly by a large boy who was definitely overweight. "What'dya want?" he demanded rudely, releasing a loud burp.

Severus held back a grimace and the reprimand that was on the tip of his tongue. "I am here for Potter," he stated instead.

The boy's eyes got impossibly wide, and he began to both sweat and stammer, recoiling in fear. "M-m-mummy! D-dad! It's one of those freaks!" he cried out, before virtually bolting away down the hall and away from the door.

Severus stood in the doorway, feeling very confused by the boy's reaction. He didn't have much time to dwell on it, for the loud sound of booming footsteps reached his ears. If the boy who had opened the door had been large, it was nothing compared to how massive the man standing before him now was.

"What the blazes do you want!?" demanded the moustached man, face purple. "The old man said the freak would be staying here until the end of summer, didn't he?"

Ignoring the use of the word 'freak', and figuring 'the old man' meant Dumbledore, Severus said, "Plans change."

"Not like that they don't! Get off my property!"

When the obese man attempted to shut the door in his face, Severus braced a forearm against it and pushed back with a surprising amount of force. When the shorter man stumbled back, the Potions Master stepped into the house, shut the door behind him, and pulled out his wand. "Where is Potter?" he demanded.

The other man did not reply. Instead, he took the same path his son had taken, down the hall and out of sight. Severus stood there for a moment, before rolling his eyes and following. He had been hoping to be in and out within a few seconds, but it didn't seem like that would be happening.

When he reached the sitting room, the onyx eyed man came to a stop. The two Dursley men, if it was even worth calling them that, were there, but no one else.

"Where is Potter?" he repeated.

"What are  _you_  doing in my house, Snape?"

Severus turned to see that a woman had entered the room behind him. Upon catching sight of his wand, she rushed across the room to stand with her husband and son.

"Well, well, well. If is isn't Petunia. Age has not agreed with you at all, dear Tuney," replied Severus in a dangerously silky voice.

Petunia sniffed, but said nothing, ignoring the hushed questions of whom Severus recalled were Vernon and Dudley.

"I am a professor at Hogwarts, and have come to collect Potter," the Potions Master finally said. "Where is he?" Still, he received no answer. "Very well then, I suppose I will simply take a look around. I am sure you will not mind?" It wasn't really a question.

"Of course I bloody mind!" yelled Vernon, taking a large step forward.

Severus, with a lazy flick of his wand, immobilized the three Dursleys, and silenced them as well when they began to protest loudly. Ignoring them immediately, he started to wander the house, beginning his search for Harry Potter. Severus Snape had no idea what he was about to discover. No idea at all...

While walking through the first floor of the house, the first thing Severus noticed, besides Potter not being there, was that the Dursleys didn't seem to have any photographs of their nephew around. He didn't see any photos of Lily either, which was strange considering she and Petunia had been sisters. Then again, it wasn't as if they had gotten along. The next thing Severus noticed was that Petunia still seemed to have an obsessive cleaning disorder. It was obvious by the way everything practically sparkled.

Not finding Potter anywhere on the ground floor, the professor headed up the stairs and froze on the landing of the second floor. There was a short hallway off the stairs, and various doors the man assumed led to bedrooms, a bathroom, and perhaps a closet of some sort. The first door on the right caught his attention though.

While the rest of the doors were all a boring white and had nothing but the knob, this one as different. It was still white with a knob, but there were many locks-seven-going from the top of the door all the way to the bottom. And stranger still was the pet door, which seemed very out of place.

With the sense of foreboding increasing, Severus decided to examine the rest of the rooms on the floor first. That locked door was just giving him a very bad feeling.

He went through the master bedroom, the guest bedroom, the bathroom, and Dudley's room, all leading to nothing. Potter wasn't in any of them, and nothing showed that the young wizard was even  _living_  in the house.

It wasn't much later that Severus found himself back in front of the locked door. Dread only getting worse, he tapped each of the locks, then, bracing himself, pushed the door open. While the man wasn't exactly sure  _what_  he had been expecting to find behind that door, it certainly hadn't been  _this_.

Standing in the smallest of the four bedrooms, Severus looked around the desolate space, glad he was alone, because he was having a hard time concealing his emotions right now.

The room had a bed, a desk and chair, and a wardrobe, all of which were broken in some way. The window had been barred shut, and there were, what seemed to be shackles attached to the head and foot of the bed. The walls, at first glance, seemed to have been painted an odd mix of peach, brown and red, until Severus realized that while they  _had_  been painted peach, the brown and red were really old and fresh blood that had also splattered, streaked, and pooled on the ceiling and floor, along with the walls.

And perhaps the most horrifying thing of all was the small doodle of an owl on the wall close to the headboard. It had been drawn in blood.

Severus wasn't sure how long he stood there for before his mind  _really_  registered what he was seeing, but the moment it did, he very nearly ran back downstairs. Entering the sitting room once again, he flicked his wand to remove the silencing spell.

"Where is Potter!?" he demanded a third time, sounding far more urgent now, than before.

The three Dursleys, though clearly terrified, remained steadfast in their silence.

Severus barely stopped himself from growling. When he hadn't sensed Potter's magic, he had assumed the boy had foolishly run away. But now he was wondering whether the teen was even alive.

Suddenly, a strange sound met Severus' ears. It was an odd scratching that seemed to be coming from somewhere behind him. Just when he was about to glance over, he saw three pairs of frightened eyes flick over to-the professor looked over his shoulder-the cupboard under the stairs? Was  _that_  where the scratching noise was coming from? Why did the Dursleys look even more afraid now that his attention had been drawn to this cupboard? Unless...but it couldn't be-

...Could it?

Severus approached the cupboard under the stairs, and knelt down in front of it, examining the three locks on the small door. There were two deadbolts, one on top and the other on the bottom, and the third lock, the one in the middle, was a padlock.

He  _had_  briefly noticed these earlier, but hadn't paid much attention to the peculiarity. Now he wished he had looked here first. But after seeing that room upstairs, Severus doubted anything else could surprise him.

He was wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...Come to think of it, why didn't Sev just use a point-me spell or something. Oh well, whatever. Please excuse any typos. It's one in the morning, and I'm typing this while watching the Return of the King. I'd forgotten how much of a dick Denethor was. Well, at least I have one series where my favourite character doesn't die. Anyway, I don't remember if I mentioned this before, but chapter lengths will vary, which is why this is so much shorter than the first. I'm tired and can't think of anything else to say, so comments? Kudos?


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Golden Trio isn't as Light as they seem. Secretly, they plot against Dumbledore as they convince others to join them. In the middle of all this, Harry Potter begins correspondence with the leader of the Dark himself. Except the thing is, Tom Riddle, or Lord Voldemort, if you prefer, doesn't know who exactly he is writing to. How will he react to the truth when he finds out?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry about the wait. If you've read anything else I've updated more recently, then you already know I've been focused on the Hobbit/LOTR fandoms, which, coupled with writer's block, and a really crappy RL, makes it pretty hard to get anything done. Anyway, thank you to all readers, and especially to those who commented!

Tapping each lock, Severus pulled the door open, jaw nearly dropping at the sight that met him. Laying curled up on a small mattress in the tiny space, was a naked, bloody, and bruised Harry Potter. Severus just stared for a moment, unable to comprehend what he was looking at.

"Hullo, professor," greeted the exhausted looking teen in a scratchy voice. He sounded dehydrated.

Finally pulled out of his stupor, Severus yanked up his Occlumency shields, and merely nodded his head in reply, before reaching into the cupboard to help Potter out. "You smell horrid," he stated once the boy was standing in front of him, with his support, of course.

Potter just shrugged vaguely. "My bucket's full."

Realizing Potter meant just that, considering he had caught a glimpse of a bucket in the corner of the cupboard, Severus' lip curled in a disgusted frown. He was going to kill the Dursleys. "Bath." Spells, even the strongest ones, were not going to be good enough.

"Does it look like I can bathe myself?" questioned Potter with a raised brow.

The man sighed. "Very well. I suppose I can aid you," he said in a suffering tone. And ignoring the still silenced and petrified Dursleys, he helped the nude teen up the stairs and into the bathroom. He sat him down on the edge of the tub, before pulling off his frock coat and rolling up his crisp, white sleeves.

He turned on the shower, then scowled before conjuring up a waterproof bench in the tub, and seating Potter down onto that. Severus did what he could to help the boy bathe, absently realizing he hadn't done something like this since Draco had been five or six years old and he'd had to give his godson a bath. His mother would have been scandalized had she seen how filthy he had been. Potter, being a teenager, should never have even needed this help. And yet...

"What are you doing here anyway?" questioned Potter suddenly.

Severus raised a brow. It sounded to him that the teen was merely asking for formality's sake. He didn't actually sound all that interested. He answered regardless. "Headmaster Dumbledore wishes for me to escort you to the Burrow."

"Current Order Headquarters... I see."

Potter remained silent for a moment, allowing him to wash the grub out of his hair. The Potions Master briefly wondered why he wasn't more shocked about all of this. He supposed it was because part of him had expected it. Perhaps not to this extent, but _something_.

He had known for years that the boy had been suffering through some form of abuse. He may have been prejudiced, but he _was_ a spy, and was far from blind. He had noticed in Potter's first year. In fact, he had noticed it the moment he had laid eyes on him. But after questioning the Headmaster, and informing him of his observations, well, Albus Dumbledore made it clear he felt there was nothing wrong.

And look how that turned out. Again. Severus shook his head and sighed inwardly. That old fool was never going to learn, was he? "How long has this been going on for?" he asked.

Potter shrugged slightly awkwardly. "Since I was left here?"

Severus sighed, instructing the teen to shut his eyes so he could rinse his hair. Yes, Dumbledore had once again made a grave mistake, and something was telling him that the boy he was currently helping bathe, knew _exactly_ who to blame for his circumstances.

Deeming Potter clean enough, Severus shut off the water, dried him off with a charm, and helped him into that horrifying room, sitting him down on the bed.

"Clothing?"

"In the wardrobe. The door won't fall. Just support it."

Severus turned and pulled open the broken door, immediately reaching out to catch it when it appeared to be about to fall. He then noticed it was only attached at one of the hinges and, as Potter had said, supported the wood so it wouldn't break completely. Peering at the clothes within, he sneered. More like rags, really.

"Do you not have anything more decent?"

"Nothing other than my robes."

The professor sighed again, lip curling, and pulled out the least offending clothing, before shutting the wardrobe door and returning to help Potter dress. Once this task was done, the boy was already exhausted, and was quick to sit back down on the edge of the bed, breathing a little heavy.

Pulling out his wand, Severus ran a simple diagnostic spell, and found that while Potter did not seem to be too injured at the moment (discounting the bruises), he most certainly _had_ been in the past, and many times. His weight was almost dangerously low, and he was clearly malnourished. He masked a frown. He was weak, yes, but not enough for his magic to have not been strong enough to feel. Unless...

He flicked and twitched his wand in a complex pattern, and the results were not what he had expected. Potter's Magical Core was nearly depleted. His magic must have been what had been healing him all summer. No wonder he couldn't sense anything!

He refocused. The teen needed nutrient potions for sure, and more food. That weight had to come back up, and soon, though not all at once. Some of the old injuries hadn't healed properly, like the broken bones, which he was going to have to re-break and set into place before healing once more.

"When was the last time you ate, Potter?"

The boy looked up, blinked, and then shrugged. "A few days ago? Three, maybe four? I don't really remember. I think I blacked out."

Nodding, the Potions Master glanced around, spotting what he hadn't before. Potter's trunk and broom sat in the corner of the room. Giving his wand a little twitch, both shrank and he placed them in a pocket. "Where is your owl?"

"With Ron."

"Very well. Come." Helping the boy up, he led him back down the stairs, and into the kitchen, passing the still silenced and petrified Dursleys in the sitting room. "Sit," he gestured at one of the chairs at the table. "Fruits?"

"In the fridge. At the bottom."

Opening the fridge, Severus knelt down to examine what fruits there were. He needed something soft-not an apple...the only pears were too hard...an orange? Yes, that was fine. He pulled out an orange and squeezed it gently. Satisfied, he straightened up and used a spell to peel and separate it, before grabbing a plate from the drainer to set the sections on, and placing this in front of the boy. "Eat."

Potter didn't argue, and did as told, tucking in immediately. Leaving him at it, Severus returned to the sitting room, and made three mind trips via Occlumency, wanting to find out just how Potter was treated this household. Suffice to say, he was far from pleased.

After making his way back into the kitchen, he found the teen was just finishing his orange. Seeing this, he dug into his robes for his potion's kit, and pulled out a nutrient potion, pausing to think about the required dosage by Potter's weight. He measured it out, then held the vial out.

"Drink." The boy did so, not even hesitating. Was he not worried about his "evil" professor poisoning him?

"I know a Nutrient Potion when I see one," Potter explained suddenly, as if having noticed where his thoughts had begun to stray. "I've taken it before."

Surprised, Severus raised a brow. "When?"

The teen shrugged. "Summer before fifth year. Sirius gave it to me. Said I needed it."

Surprise became incredulity. The Dog had managed to give Potter a potion without killing him? It was indeed a miracle.

"I know what you're thinking," stated Potter, gazing at him with a steady, green eyes. "Sirius knew his potions, you know. He had to. He used to be an Auror."

Oh...yes, that was true. He had forgotten. Not that anything was ever going to change his opinion of the Mutt. Regardless, he was dead now, so it didn't even matter, did it?

"When are we leaving?" asked Potter abruptly.

"Soon, unless you would rather be healed there instead of here?"

"Nope. Here is just fine."

"Very well." Severus pulled out both his wand and his potions' kit, setting the latter of the two on the kitchen table. Recalling what needed to be done, he informed the teen of what he would be doing now, and in the long run.

He simply nodded once. "That's fine."

The immediate healing process began, the man keeping a close eye on the teen's reactions. Potter was far too calm. He should have been indignant, argumentative, a Gryffindor. But he wasn't. He simply sat there and continued to watch the professor with those emerald eyes that had never looked more eerie.

Severus was no fool. He knew Potter was hiding something beyond this abuse that was happening. Hiding something that was going to be a _very_ big deal in the long run. Something that was, perhaps, his side in the war.

The boy was no longer bothering with pretences. It was evident that he had chosen his path, and had no desire to put on what must have been the act he had been playing all these years.

For a brief moment, the Potions Master debating on simply asking. Would Potter tell him if he did? The most obvious answer, of course, was no, but there _was_ a small chance that he would. Unless _this_ was the act, and Potter was simply stringing him on in an attempt to throw him off.

Conflicted now, Severus stood. "Come, we will depart now."

"Sure." He got to his feet, steady now. "And the Dursleys?"

Severus paused. He had not thought that far ahead. The Headmaster, he knew, would deny what had taken place in this house, despite the glaring evidence. The Dark Lord, on the other hand, would happily kill the Dursleys, regardless of what had happened to the teen. Or, he could always have a little...chat with the three himself. Warn them of what their future held. Severus despised abuse of any kind, no matter who the victim was.

"Don't do anything to them."

The voice snapped the man out of his thoughts. "Pardon me?"

"The Dursleys," Potter clarified. "Don't do anything to them."

Severus raised a brow, and peered down at the dark haired boy. "Why?" he questioned simply.

Potter stared up at him in silence for a long moment, as if considering whether or not he should tell him whatever it was that he was thinking. "I have my reasons," finally said. And as if aware he was about to counter that, added, "I'm the one they've been hurting, so I have the right to decide what'll happen to them."

"And what are you planning on, exactly?"

"I'm not sure yet, but I'll think of something."

Severus wasn't sure if it was a trick of the light, but for a second, half a second even, Potter's emerald irises glowed as bright as the Killing Curse. "Very well," he spoke, returning to the sitting room to undo the spells he had placed on those disgusting relatives.

He did nothing else, said nothing else, and was amused by the fear in their eyes. No doubt they had expected him to curse them or something to that effect. He certainly would have done so as well, if it hadn't been for Potter. He did not envy them, that was for sure.

As he had all of the teen's belongings, he headed for the door, finding the raven haired teen leaning up against it, waiting for him. He appeared calm, nonchalant, as if his most hated professor hadn't found him locked in a cupboard (among other things).

"Ready yet?"

Not at all surprised by the lack of respect, he inclined his head. "Come."

They left Number Four, and walked down the street until they reached an area where they wouldn't been seen. Severus extended an arm, and Potter took it without question, and the two spun, and vanished on the spot in silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it for now. To be honest, I'm not particularly pleased with this chapter. Something about it just seems...off to me, but I can't figure out why. Anyway, the next chapter will feature Harry's POV, so we can finally find out what's been going on in that mind of his. Do I know what that is yet? No, no I don't. Comments? Kudos?


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Golden Trio isn't as Light as they seem. Secretly, they plot against Dumbledore as they convince others to join them. In the middle of all this, Harry Potter begins correspondence with the leader of the Dark himself. Except the thing is, Tom Riddle, or Lord Voldemort, if you prefer, doesn't know who exactly he is writing to. How will he react to the truth when he finds out?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspiration hit, so this chapter wrote itself over the last hour or so. Hope it sounds okay. Thank you to all readers so far, and an extra to those who commented!

When they arrived on the Burrow's property, Harry released Snape's arm, and took a step back, eyeing the crooked house. While he was very glad to be away from Privet Drive, part of him was not so eager to be here. Still, he knew he had no choice, so he began walking forward, Snape a step or two behind him.

The door was open, oddly enough, and the teen and man stepped through without hindrance. They had barely entered, when there was an exclamation of surprise.

"Harry!"

Unable to stop himself, the emerald eyed teen grinned. "Hey, Ron," he greeted, his voice still a little hoarse. But he returned the friendly embrace regardless, noting his friend had gotten even taller. Well, that wasn't fair.

"No one said you were coming!"

Harry shrugged. "I had no idea either. Snape just showed up, saying Dumbledore wanted him to bring me here." He glanced over his shoulder at the professor, who was watching the scene before him expressionless, and making no move to reprimand his lack of respect.

"Harry, dear! Oh, it's lovely to see you!" Mrs Weasley bustled into the room, a beaming smile on her face, as if she hadn't sent him brownies spiked with various, dangerous potions the other week.

"Yeah, you too, Mrs Weasley," the teen lied easily, smiling slightly when he caught Ron's awkward shrug. "No Hermione?" he asked instead.

"Nah, she's still on vacation with her parents. I think they're in France again this time." That was, of course, a lie. Both teens were well aware of where their dear friend was, and it certainly wasn't France. She wasn't with her parents either, though she _was_ with an adult.

"Potter."

Harry turned, watched Snape pull out his trunk and broom, and accepted them when they were passed over and unshrunk. "Thanks."

The man merely inclined his head, and left the house before he could be asked to stay for dinner or something, as Mrs Weasley tended to all but demand every single time he showed up here.

The woman huffed under her breath, then left the room, leaving the teens alone.

"Anyone else here?" asked Harry curiously, knowing not to mention anything incriminating just yet.

"Just Ginny for now," replied Ron, beginning to lead his friend up the stairs. "Dad's at work, Fred and George live over their shop-you've really gotta see the place, and Percy's still a dick."

"What about Bill and Charlie?"

"Bill's living in a flat in London, since he's working at Gringotts in Diagon, but he comes here pretty often. Charlie's finishing up some stuff in Romania so he can come back too, to help out and all. He hasn't said if he's going to be staying here or with Bill. I think it'll depend on who else shows up."

The two entered the orange, Chudley Cannon poster covered bedroom. "Do others stay often?"

Ron shook his head. "Not really, but if meetings run late or something comes up, then some of them end up crashing here. They usually use the twins' and Percy's rooms, since those are the ones that are always empty. I had to bunk with Dung once though. That was really shitty."

Harry winced in sympathy. "Sorry, mate."

The door shut behind them, Harry snapped his fingers, and with a silent pop, Dobby appeared in the room. He opened his mouth to speak, but Harry held up a hand.

"Check. Silence."

The House-Elf nodded and did as told, first checking for any spells or trackers, then silencing and warding the room. "Harry Potter, sir! Dobby was so worried!" he exclaimed, tackling the teen with a hug.

Grinning, Harry returned the embrace, before pulling away. "Sorry about that. The Dursleys didn't feed me for a bit longer than usual, and I blacked out for a bit."

Ron scowled, then blinked. "But the Order was still getting letters!"

"Were they? That was probably my uncle, then. Trust me, I was unconscious for a couple of days, give or take another day or so."

"Is Harry Potter, sir, needing anything?" asked Dobby, large eyes imploring.

Harry started to shake his head, then stopped mid-motion. "Actually, just let Hermione and Sirius know I'm okay."

"Good idea, mate," added Ron. "They were freaking out."

Dobby nodded, removed his spells, and vanished. Harry and Ron both knew it wasn't going to be very long before Mrs Weasley called them down to help her out, so there was no reason to really begin discussing anything...important just yet. They would wait until later.

Instead, they began discussing their summer homework. As usual, neither of them had even started, though it was for different reasons. Harry had been locked up in a cupboard, and Ron was lazy. ...Maybe it was a good thing Hermione wasn't here. Though the emerald eyed teen knew he was going to begin his own work within the next day or so, just to get it over with.

"Any idea when the booklist will show up?"

Ron shook his head. "No clue. OWL results should show around the same time though."

Harry blinked. "Right, forgot about those."

"Think you failed anything?"

"Probably just Divination and HOM."

"Same here."

"Boys! Come downstairs and help me set the table!"

The teens exchanged a knowing glance when Ginny wasn't called to help, and made their way down to the kitchen...

* * *

It wasn't until two uneventful days later that Harry and Ron finally had the chance to _really_ talk. Mrs Weasley had been keeping them busy with chores, and the two had only just finished. There was an Order meeting tonight, so Ron's mum had sent them and Ginny upstairs, while she prepared.

The boys had locked themselves in Ron's room again, while Ginny holed up in her own bedroom to do whatever it was teenage girls did when they weren't allowed to listen in on secret meetings. Dobby checked and silenced the topmost room again, before vanishing.

With certain spies being in the meeting, the boys weren't all too concerned with missing anything important. They would find out what happened later on.

"First thing's first," started Harry from his camp bed. "What's been going on?"

Ron, used to Harry running the show, took a seat on his own bed. "No one in the Order noticed anything when your uncle started forging letters," he said. "I thought at least old Lemon Sucker would, you know? But nothing. No hints of suspicion, no more questions than usual. Nothing."

Harry nodded. "There's always the chance that he did notice but doesn't particularly care. We both know he's aware of how I'm treated when there. And being passed out for a couple of days is nothing. I've been unconscious longer, and I'm sure he knows that."

"Right," muttered the redhead with a scowl. "Moving on, Hermione's still looking into how to destroy Horcruxes, and remove the one you probably have in you-" he ended abruptly. "Er, you're really not gonna freak out about that?"

The younger teen merely shrugged. "There really isn't anything to freak out over. If it's true, then I've had the thing in me since he killed my parents, right? It hasn't really bothered me except the visions and occasional pain. And really, we know we can use it as an advantage. Plus, it's probably why I'm a Parselmouth."

"Huh, that actually makes sense. Anyway, Sirius has a shit ton of books over at his hideout, so Hermione's been busy-and been keeping him busy too."

"I told her to involve him. He was starting to mope what with Remus off on those stupid missions. Anything else?"

Ron shook his head. "Nothing in particular. Anything on your end?"

"Luna confirmed the prophecy was a fake."

The red haired teen blinked. "I know we already assumed that, but it's good to know for sure. Any idea how it was made? That orb looked pretty authentic to me."

"No clue. She's looking into it, and how it got there, along with if there's a _real_ one. And if anyone can find out, it's Luna."

Ron chuckled. "True. Anything else?"

"I need to go to Gringotts," said Harry, running his fingers through his hair. "For various reasons. Apparently, according to Neville, I'm an Heir, and have claim to a Lordship. I admit, I'm not too sure what that all means."

Ron hummed and tapped his chin in thought. "I know the basic concept, but our family hasn't dealt with that sort of thing for centuries, from what I remember hearing. It'd probably be easier to hear it from the Goblins first hand."

"Right, okay. Your brother also wants me to go to Gringotts. The old man is my magical guardian, but Bill says the Goblins have told him I need to check out my parents' wills. I was also planning on starting a correspondence with Voldemort. I was mentioning it in my last letter to Hermione, but I think I passed out while writing it."

"Are you serious? Is that a good idea?"

Harry laughed at the expected response. "I won't be writing as Harry, obviously. I don't have a death wish. I'll write as Raven, naturally, but I think it's a good idea, especially if he isn't totally insane any more. And before you ask, yes, I call him by the alias we gave him anyway."

Ron grinned, then sobered. "You know," he said slowly, "I actually agree with that. You've got a good mask as Raven, although, maybe 'Harry' is the mask now. Either way, you're far from a Light sympathizer, which will definitely appeal to him. But considering who he is, I think it'd be best to give him some information he's going to want-give him a reason to be curious and choose to write back."

Harry grinned. "Ever the strategist, eh, Maroon?"

The redhead flushed. "Shut it, Harry!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Confirmed aliases: Raven Serpent-Harry Potter, Maroon King-Ron Weasley, Violet Mist-Hermione Granger, Lemon Sucker-Albus Dumbledore, Crimson Phantom-Voldemort, Slate Lupus-Sirius Black, Amber Canis-Remus Lupin, Blue Moon-Luna Lovegood, Almond Badger-Neville Longbottom, Jade Knight-Bill Weasley. Comments? Kudos?


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Golden Trio isn't as Light as they seem. Secretly, they plot against Dumbledore as they convince others to join them. In the middle of all this, Harry Potter begins correspondence with the leader of the Dark himself. Except the thing is, Tom Riddle, or Lord Voldemort, if you prefer, doesn't know who exactly he is writing to. How will he react to the truth when he finds out?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plot Bunny came out to play-maybe it's this insane, sickening heat, so lucky you, another chapter in what-two days? Amazing. Anyway, just a brief note on the alias confirmed list from the end of the previous chapter. I only confirm those mentioned in the chapter, which is why a few were missing from the list. In this chapter, for example, four are mentioned, but only two are confirmed, because the other two are new. So whenever Harry, or whoever, mentions the real name, or obvious circumstances surrounding an alias, I confirm it. Make sense? Thank you to all readers so far! Also, I changed some of HP's OWL results.

Later that night, Dobby popped into Ron's room with a roll of parchment-a letter from two of their spies. They had been in the Order meeting earlier, and since Harry and Ron hadn't been allowed in, they knew to let them know of what had occurred.

"What's it say?" asked Ron curiously, arms folded across his chest while Dobby stood nearby.

The raven haired teen unfolded the parchment, checked who it was from, just to be sure, then began to read it out loud.

_Raven Serpent,  
The meeting was uneventful for the most part. Snape mentioned the condition he found you in (you're okay, right?), and Lemon Sucker just brushed it off, saying you were fine and it was a necessity. A few got upset, but most seemed to believe him. When the ones who were upset brought that up, he just said Snape was exaggerating because of that whole thing with your dad and whatnot. Pretty much everyone bought that, and didn't question it._

_Snape wasn't lying, though he was Occluding his mind. I was able to see a glimpse of the truth, but it's hard to tell if it was something he wanted me to see or not. Keep your friends close, Raven. You'll need them while you're here._  
_Fuchsia Storm, Azure Iris_

Stashing the letter with the others, Harry heard Ron release a hum of thought, and quickly straightened. "Thoughts?" he questioned.

His best friend cocked his head. "Beyond being pissed at the old fucker for not giving a damn you nearly died again over there?"

"Yeah."

"No one's suspicious of anything he says. Or, if they are, they're keeping it _very_ quiet. Still it doesn't seem like it, according to Tonks, at least. And from what Moody's saying, mum and Ginny are probably planning something. He doesn't say things like 'Keep your friends close' lightly. You know how he is."

Harry nodded. "I think you're right." He paused in thought for a moment. "What do you think about Snape?"

Ron frowned. Most would have expected the redhead to start cussing the professor out, but that was the old Ron-the fake Ron. Instead, he scratched his chin. "If he brought the whole thing up, I mean, that's a pretty big deal itself, isn't it? He could have just not bothered to mention it. I mean, he didn't say anything the day he brought you here, right? So why now?"

"Hm, and there's also the fact that he sort of allowed Moody into his mind. Speaking from experience, Snape's Occlumency shields are bloody brilliant. Even Voldemort and Dumbledore can't get through them, and they're both really skilled at Legilimency. I don't think he's the type of person to lower those shields for just anyone, or for any random reason."

Frown deepening, the taller teen spoke again. "What, so you think he realized Dumblefuck wouldn't give a damn, and wanted to make sure someone believed what he was saying? Why Moody then? They obviously don't get along. Hell, Moody's always calling him out as a Death Eater."

Harry nodded again. "Yeah, but that's just cover, remember? We might be neutral right now, but you know that might not last forever."

Ron sighed. "Right, you said that before. So, what are our chances of joining Voldemort?"

"Right now? Pretty slim. But that's why I wanted to start speaking to him. We know nothing about him, about his side. All we know is what we learned from the Light, and we all know ninety percent of that is bullshit. It always is. So then what is he actually doing? What is the purpose of this war? What is he really fighting for?"

"When do you plan on starting to write to him?"

"At the latest, when we head back to Hogwarts. Moody's warning is putting me on edge, and dealing with both your mum _and_ your sister trying to spike me with potions at the same time will be pretty damn hard. We've still got the better part of three weeks here, and there isn't much privacy, so writing to the Dark Lord himself won't be easy, even with Dobby," he said, shooting the House-Elf a look.

Running his fingers through his hair, Ron sighed again. "I guess that's a fair point. Mum and Gin won't give up easily, especially if they start suspecting something."

"Anyway," said Harry, waving his hand absently. "Any news from Amethyst Heart or Indigo Hawk?"

Here, both Ron and Dobby shook their heads in the negative.

"I can tells them Raven Serpent, sir, wants to hear what they has been doing," Dobby interjected.

"I'd appreciate that Dobby. Make sure you go to them separately, at least twenty four hours between each visit."

The House-Elf, used to strange requests like this, nodded and vanished, removing the silencing spells and wards as he did so.

Harry and Ron exchanged a glance and a nod, before settling down for bed...

* * *

A week went by, and Harry was beginning to grow frustrated. Dodging Mrs Weasley and Ginny was becoming increasingly difficult, and he was glad Dobby knew to pop by (secretly) during meals to vanish any potions added to his food and drink.

Unfortunately, he had yet to learn anything new, either. Hermione and Sirius were both still researching on how to destroy the Horcruxes, and figure out how many a person could even have in the first place. With Dumbledore having holed himself up wherever he did over summers, there was nothing more Moody or Tonks could tell him either. And it didn't help that he was stuck at the Burrow, unable to leave.

That Gringotts visit was really starting to look unlikely. If things kept going the way they were, it looked like he wasn't going to be able to leave the Burrow until September first, and heading to the bank after that would be near impossible. Plus, he wanted to see the twins' shop.

It was time, he decided, to come up with alternate plans...

* * *

It was during an oddly chilly morning in mid-August, when it was time for Harry to put his new plans into action. OWL results had arrived, and with them, their new booklists.

"Here you are, dear," said the Weasley matriarch cheerfully, passing his envelops over.

"Thanks, Mrs Weasley," the teen replied casually. Instead, he and Ron exchanged a nervous look that wasn't altogether fake. While both were sure they had failed two classes, there really was no telling what had really happened. OWLs hadn't exactly been the best of times for exams, what with the visions and all.

Still, he read through his results carefully, sure he had surprised certain adults, because he had been hiding just how smart he really was. He wasn't like Hermione, not at all, but he certainly wasn't as bad as he made himself out to be.

_Harry James Potter has achieved:_  
_Astronomy: A_  
 _Care of Magical Creatures: E_  
 _Charms: O_  
 _Defence Against the Dark Arts: O_  
 _Divination: P_  
 _Herbology: E_  
 _History of Magic: D_  
 _Potions: O_  
 _Transfiguration: O_

Huh, well that wasn't bad at all. Harry had actually been expecting worse. In fact, only his Charms, Transfiguration, and Potions results were surprising. Everything else was pretty much what he had thought they would be.

He had done his best to brush up on Charms and Transfiguration after he had learned those were his mum and dad's best subjects respectively. Still, he had been expecting E's at most. Potions on the other hand, was all because of Hermione. With Snape all but refusing to offer anyone not of Slytherin House extra help, and the way his practicals were always botched and sabotaged, Harry had decided to swallow his pride and ask his friend for some much needed help. Turns out brewing potions in Snape's class was a lot like cooking for the Dursleys.

"Swap?" asked Ron.

Harry nodded and the two friends exchanged parchments. Ron, he noted, hadn't gotten any O's, but he'd still done a pretty good job in general. In fact, he'd done better in HOM! Then again, Harry _had_ had that vision about Sirius, so...

_Ronald Bilius Weasley as achieved:  
Astronomy: A  
Care of Magical Creatures: E  
Charms: E  
Defence Against the Dark Arts: E  
Divination: P  
Herbology: E  
__History of Magic: P_  
Potions: E  
Transfiguration: E

"Well done, mate!" they congratulated in unison, taking their own results back. As expected, both had only failed two classes, and neither were particularly important. Divination was a bunch of bullshit, well, with Trelawney, at least, and they could always learn History of Magic on their own, because Binns had never really taught them much of anything.

"What do you think Hermione got?"

Ron scoffed. "Ten O's, obviously. She's Hermione! What do you expect?"

Harry laughed, but mentally noted his redhead friend wasn't going to be joining him and their female friend in Potions class this year. Still, he set his results down and took up the booklist instead. "Looks like Dumbledore found a new Defence professor. No more Umbridge, at least."

"Yeah, what a bloody miracle, that is."

"Ronald!"

"Sorry, mum!"

"So, when are we heading to Diagon Alley, Mrs Weasley?" asked Harry innocently.

The woman hesitated visibly. "Well, Harry dear, I don't think it's such a good idea for us all to go. How about I take your lists and get everyone's things myself, just like before?"

Harry frowned. "I really don't think that's possible, Mrs Weasley."

She looked baffled at that. "Well why not, dear?"

The emerald eyed teen just blinked, continuing to look as innocent as a first year. "New robes. Professor Snape's been keeping me on that nutrient potion, remember? I've grown a couple of inches, at least, and my old school robes aren't going to fit. And clearly Ron and Ginny have gotten taller too. Won't they need new robes as well?"

"Oh-oh, why yes, that's-that's true. I didn't even notice," replied the woman, blinking rapidly and still looking hesitant. "I don't know how I feel about taking the three of you alone though. Especially in these times. You-Know-Who and his followers are everywhere!"

Ron, who had quickly caught on to what Harry was doing, decided to interject in the conversation. "Why not get Bill to come with us?"

"Bill?"

"Yeah, doesn't he have a day off tomorrow? He can stay with Harry and me, and you can keep an eye on Gin, right?"

"He's a Curse Breaker too, isn't he?" voiced Harry, immediately understanding. "If anyone can protect us, it's gotta be Bill. And he's responsible too, right? Not like the twins."

Mrs Weasley thought for a moment, and then nodded decisively. "Yes, I think that's a much better idea. He'll keep the two of you safe. Yes, I'll Floo him now to let him know." And with that, she lowered the laundry basket she had been holding, and bustled out of the room.

"Slick, Maroon, real slick."

"...I feel like you're mocking me."

"Not at all!" Both began to laugh.

This was good, Harry realized. Bill was on their side, and could help him out with what needed to be done at Gringotts, especially as him coming would keep Mrs Weasley and Ginny out of their hair for the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Confirmed aliases: Fuchsia Storm-Nymphadora Tonks, Azure Iris-Alastor Moody. Comments? Kudos?


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Golden Trio isn't as Light as they seem. Secretly, they plot against Dumbledore as they convince others to join them. In the middle of all this, Harry Potter begins correspondence with the leader of the Dark himself. Except the thing is, Tom Riddle, or Lord Voldemort, if you prefer, doesn't know who exactly he is writing to. How will he react to the truth when he finds out?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo! I'm so sorry about the wait, guys! I've finally got another chapter for you, and I think it's a bit longer than the other ones too. Maybe. I don't know for sure. Anyway, thank you to all readers so far!

Luckily, Bill had no plans, and agreed to meet them at the Burrow the next morning at ten. Mrs Weasley wanted to go earlier, but a lot of the shops wouldn't open until nine, and with teenagers being teenagers, no one was really willing to wake up that early...even though it was just an hour's difference.

Still, at ten on the dot, there was a distant pop of someone Apparating, and a minute later, the back door swung open, revealing Bill Weasley. "Morning," he greeted with his usual calm smile, tolerating his mother's hug before greeting the rest of them.

They didn't delay, and set out mere minutes later, Mrs Weasley eager to finish things up as quickly as they could. So, once they were in the Alley, they split up. Ginny went off with her mother, while Bill took charge of Ron and Harry, which, of course, was exactly what they had been hoping for.

The three of them didn't speak of anything incriminating at first, the chances of being overheard far too high. Instead, they made their way over to Gringotts, as Harry had been instructed to do by both Bill himself, and Neville as well. It wasn't long before they found themselves seated in one of the many offices, this one belonging to none other than Ragnok, the head goblin.

Harry did most of the talking, Bill pitching in when he needed to, while Ron merely sat and listened closely-he was a lot more observant than he was given credit for being.

As expected, Ragnok was not at all pleased Harry hadn't heard his parents' wills yet. He confirmed that Dumbledore had come himself after James and Lily's deaths, heard them, and then had them sealed, assuring the goblin in charge at the time, that he would bring Harry in once he was older and able to understand more. Naturally, that had never happened.

"He never once brought their wills up," Harry said, fighting not to scowl, "and I never knew any better. It wasn't until a few months ago that I even considered it. Since nothing had ever been said by anyone, I just assumed my parents never got around to writing one. They were still young, and had been forced to go into hiding, with a baby no less, so it made sense to me."

Ragnok nodded in understanding, and stroked his chin with a long, thin finger. "Then you may have them unsealed now. If you are also planning on accepting your Lordships, as you have claimed, then there is no reason for us to inform your magical guardian-inform Dumbledore of any of this."

A drop of blood, and the two wills were officially unsealed, at which point Harry was finally able to hear them. It was not an easy experience. The smoky figures of his parent rose out of the wills, and though they were colourless, they spoke in their own voices. If he noticed both Weasleys touching the dark haired teen in comfort, Ragnok didn't mention it.

James spoke first, having more to leave behind than his wife. He left many things to Lily, and to Sirius and Remus, and a few others, some names which Harry recognized, others which he didn't. Most was left behind to Harry, items and properties alike, along with kind words Harry had always unknowingly craved to hear from a father-things he had often heard Uncle Vernon say to Dudley, things he had heard Mr Weasley say to Ron and his brothers, things he had even heard Mr Malfoy say to Draco. And now he got to hear them too, albeit, somewhat indirectly.

Lily was next, her final will much the same as her husband, most things she left behind to James, and other family or friends, and of course, her darling baby boy. She had words for Harry too, sweet, kind words that could only be spoken to one by a mother, more words Harry hadn't ever realized he had desperately wanted to hear over the years.

But there was one thing identical in both wills. Upon their death, Harry was to go to his godfather Sirius Black. If that was not possible, he was to go to his godmother Alice and her husband Frank Longbottom. If that was also not possible, he was to go to Severus Snape (that had both Ron and Harry exchanging a glance that clearly said they would talk later). And if that was not possible, he was to go to Andromeda and Ted Tonks. If that too was not possible, he was to be taken in by a couple or family that understood and respected James and Lily's path in the war, regardless of whether they followed that same path themselves. They both made it _very_ clear that they had no direct family, Magical or Muggle, that they wanted their son left with.

"So," Ron spoke once the smoky figures had dissipated and Ragnok had excused himself to get what he needed for the next step, "Dumbledore heard all this, and left you with the Dursleys anyway." It most certainly wasn't a question.

Still, Harry nodded. "Evidently, yes." He brought back all the names that had been listed. "I could have gone to Sirius for at least a day or so, until he was arrested. Neville's parents...well, I'm not a hundred percent sure when they were attacked, though I know it was not long after my parents died, so I could also have stayed with them until then. I don't doubt Nev's grandmother would have taken me in like she did Neville, after. I've never met Tonks' parents, but if she's turned out the way she has because of them, they can't be all that bad. And I know Sirius said Andromeda was disowned, unlike her sisters."

Ron leaned back in his chair, and folded his arms across his chest. "And then there's Snape."

"Ah." Harry dragged his fingers through his hair. "That one's the kicker, isn't it? Severus Snape. It wasn't just mum who said I should go to him, but dad too, though admittedly, he didn't sound quite as pleased with it. Still, considering everything else they said, they both obviously cared for me very much, enough so to trust Snape with raising me, should they die and their first two requested guardians be unable to take me in."

"But...didn't your dad and Snape hate each other?" questioned Ron, clearly very confused.

Harry couldn't blame him for that at all. He was just as puzzled. "They definitely did." That had been proven for sure in the memory he had snooped on some months back. "I guess it's possible he and mum were friends. He talks about dad and Sirius, and even Remus, but he never _ever_ mentions mum."

"Trauma?"

"Could be. If they were friends, it probably killed him to watch her end up with dad, who was his worst enemy. Maybe he even blamed dad for her death. Might also explain why he looks me in the eyes so often. They're the only obvious feature I have of mum. Maybe he thinks he's looking at her instead."

"Huh. Well, if both your parents were okay with you being sent to him, maybe he and your dad made up or something? Or maybe your mum forced your dad to accept it?"

Harry shrugged. "It's possible, though I suppose the best way to find out would be to just ask Snape himself." He yawned, wondered what was taking Ragnok so long, then said, "And that just leaves that mum and dad were open with me being sent to pretty much anyone, even Dark supporters, as long as they respected what the two of them chose to do and how they lived."

It was here that Bill, who had been frowning in thought this entire time, finally spoke up. "I did notice one thing here."

"What's that?"

"My family wasn't mentioned."

Harry and Ron both blinked. "That's true."

"...Why is that bothering you?"

Bill looked down at his younger brother and his friend. "Mum and dad-mum in particular, always spoke of you and your parents."

"They did?"

Bill nodded. "Yeah, but not until they died."

Harry was frowning now too. "What do you mean by that?"

Bill focused on him now. "I was eleven when your parents died, so I still remember it all pretty clearly. More than my brothers, at least. Charlie was eight at the time, so he can no doubt second this to a certain extent, but before your parents died, mum and dad didn't talk about them much. They were all part of the Order together, but I clearly remember mum mentioning more than once how she thought your parents were too young to be a part of it too. She liked your mum enough, depending on the situation, but she never seemed to care much for your dad or Sirius."

Ron blinked, surprised. "Where did you hear all this if they never mentioned it?"

Bill raised a brow, amused. "It's called eavesdropping, little brother. Where do you think the twins learned it all? Percy?"

Ron stared.

Harry snickered, and then sobered back up. "Okay, so what changed?"

Getting back to the matter at hand, Bill continued. "After your parents died, mum and dad did a complete one eighty. Or at least mum did. Suddenly they were singing praises about your parents, and would literally tell us bedtime stories of them and their Boy-Who-Lived son."

Ron's eyes widened. "Hey, yeah! I remember some of those stories! You were basically a hero, Harry!"

The emerald eyed teen, however, merely cringed. "That's just creepy."

"I thought it was pretty weird too," Bill agreed with a nod. "Especially because I had met your parents before, and seen the way mum and dad interacted with them and whatnot."

"You met my mum and dad?"

"Hmm. It was before they had to go into hiding. Your mum had only recently found out she was pregnant with you. I don't remember what exactly happened, but both mum and dad had to go out, so your parents came to the Burrow to babysit us. I was about nine or ten at the time, Charlie eight or nine, Percy four or five, and the twins maybe two or so. Dad said watching us for a few hours would give your parents some practice with looking after kids."

Ron couldn't help but laugh. "I feel like they must've felt like they were stuck in a nightmare!"

Bill clocked his brother over the head, but his attention was still mainly fixed on Harry, who was listening in interest. "Your parents did a damn good job taking care of us, though only your dad was able to keep up with the twins. Mum and dad came back much later than they said they would, long after your parents had taken us all to bed. Once they left, I went down to grab something, and heard mum complaining about every little thing your parents had said or done. And that's why I found it so odd that after they died, they only ever had anything positive to say about them."

Harry's frown deepened. "Maybe it was guilt?"

Bill inclined his head in acknowledgement. "I thought that at first too. But I overheard mum insulting them more than once when she thought she and dad were alone."

Okay, that was definitely weird. "Clearly mum and dad weren't completely oblivious to what your parents thought about them," Harry pointed out. "Otherwise your family would have been mentioned in their wills as well, righ-"

"Pardon me for the wait," said Ragnok as he returned to the room, effectively ending their conversation. "There was some...interference that required to be run."

The three wizards decided it was best not to ask what that entailed. It likely wasn't anything they wanted to know of in detail.

Without further ado, and a bit more blood, Harry was finally able to accept his Lordships, as Neville had suggested he do. He was now Lord Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter-Black.

Harry hadn't expected two of those four titles. The Potter Lordship was, of course, a given. And Sirius had already told him of the Black one.

He had said that with him being a disowned fugitive, and his younger brother dead, the Lordship fell vacant after his father's death. It could only be taken up by an heir with Black blood running through their veins. That made Draco Malfoy a top contender, with his mother being a direct Black. Nymphadora Tonks was a contender too, with her own mother being of Black blood, and Narcissa's sister.

But Sirius had found a way to get it to Harry long before his godson had even known what was happening, and long before they would realize just how useful it was going to be. Sirius had simply blood adopted him as a baby, thus giving him the blood of the one who should have been the next Lord. And this put Harry at the top of the food chain, so to speak. With Sirius 'dead', there was nothing stopping him from taking the title himself. If Sirius did ever come back out in the open, free, alive, and well, he would always be able to take the title for himself, if he wanted, though he had claimed more than once he'd likely just let Harry keep it.

Harry knew next to nothing about the Peverell line, only aware it came from his father's side of the family. Gryffindor on the other hand, now that one was indeed a big shock to them all. No wonder he'd been able to pull Godric Gryffindor's sword out of the Sorting Hat.

A lot more money and new properties weren't the only things Harry now had though. He apparently owned a great many businesses, and was invested in many more. He was going to have to look into all that. Or at least hire someone more competent to do it for him.

His new titles meant a lot politically too, and while interested in his seats and whatnot, he didn't know very much about any of it. When he mentioned just that, Ragnok recommend using a trusted proxy to take his seats, something that Bill agreed with too.

Admittedly, Harry hadn't really put much thought into what accepting the titles was going to entail, other than him being considered a legal adult, despite his age. He had too many new responsibilities, and had neither the time nor the knowledge to handle them all. Hiring people to help him take care of all this was going right up to the top of the list for sure...

* * *

After refilling his money pouch, Harry, Ron, and Bill ventured back out into Diagon Alley so the two teens could do their shopping. Once again none of them spoke of anything all too important. There was no privacy out here. Especially not for Harry.

It didn't take them particularly long to finish things up, though it was Harry who noticed something rather strange. When he realized what was happening, he remained relaxed, and casually leaned in closer to Ron. "Your mum and Ginny are stalking us."

Ron tensed for just a second, before relaxing and relaying the message to his older brother. It would be less suspicious to the two following them, than if Harry did it himself.

While a little annoyed, none of the three were particularly surprised. Perhaps Mrs Weasley didn't trust Bill with the two of them as much as they had thought, or perhaps hoped. Still, they were done dealing with the very important stuff. She and Ginny could follow them along while they were shopping all they wanted. They weren't going to see or hear anything odd at all.

Harry and Ron chatted about Quidditch and random good looking witches they crossed paths with (even though they both knew Harry was not at all interested in the fairer sex), and told Bill all about their OWLs and what classes they were considering taking and dropping, while he himself spoke of what he had done at their age, and how work was going.

Their conversations and purchases were boring enough that eventually Mrs Weasley and Ginny seemed to give up on their not so subtle attempts to follow them, and simply returned to whatever it was they they themselves still had to do.

"How are the twins?" asked Harry suddenly.

"They're doing pretty good," said Ron. "Their shop's right over there-it's bloody fantastic. Should we stop by?"

"Definitely!"

Bill just laughed and followed after them, all three entering the brightly lit, and completely packed store. Fred and George were quite pleased to see them all, and no words were even needed to explain that business was absolutely booming. The items practically flying off the shelves were proof enough.

Harry sighed mournfully. "It's going to be so boring at Hogwarts without you two there to cause havoc."

The twins chortled. "We'll still be causing indirect havoc!" they exclaimed in unison.

And that was most certainly true, considering just how many Hogwarts students there seemed to be making purchases here. No doubt the twins' products were going to be used rather frequently in the castle.

With the store as full as it was, no one noticed when a roll of parchment was slipped into one of the bags Harry was carrying at his side...

* * *

Once Harry was back in the relative privacy of Ron's bedroom, he was packing away his purchases, when he noticed the parchment. It was a letter. Surprised, he unrolled it and began to read.

_Raven Serpent,_

_A close friend of a certain girl we're all well acquainted with just purchased a rather...handy stock of love potions. These potions don't work the same way as the usual ones. They can only be mixed in food or drink to be able to have any affect on the subject._

_You'll have to be very careful of who you let around your food once you return to Hogwarts. We know she won't try anything until then. We'd recommend you not let anyone even touch your plate or cup unless you're one hundred percent sure they are who they say they are._

_Better yet, let them know what's happening, and tell them not to even offer you food until the situation is solved. That way, if they do, you'll know something's off, and can take care of it as you see fit._

_Until next we meet, my Lord,_

_Ebony Snow and Ivory Rain_

Harry cursed under his breath. He had some letters to write...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it for now. I didn't see the point of detailing the bank visit, since we all know how this goes-it's basically the same thing every time. I figured a more brief version that still got the point across would be just fine. Comments? Kudos?


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Golden Trio isn't as Light as they seem. Secretly, they plot against Dumbledore as they convince others to join them. In the middle of all this, Harry Potter begins correspondence with the leader of the Dark himself. Except the thing is, Tom Riddle, or Lord Voldemort, if you prefer, doesn't know who exactly he is writing to. How will he react to the truth when he finds out?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo! A few people have brought up confusion on why Ginny would have a friend buy love potions for her, rather than just buy them herself or have her mother brew them. The letter in the previous chapter stated that the potion works in a different way than the normal one-meaning no one else should be able to brew it, considering where it was bought from and who invented it. There's no way Ginny would be sold these potions she knows likely work better, but there's no reason her friend wouldn't be sold them.
> 
> Anyway, thank you to all readers so far!

Harry was woken quite abruptly when a sudden weight landed on his legs. He bolted up in his camp bed in Ron's room, pulled on his glasses, and his eyes widened. "Dobby?" he spoke in a whisper.

The House-Elf nodded his head, his ears flapping a little. "Dobby is sorry, Harry Potter sir, for waking you, but-" His great, green eyes widened, and his twisted one of his ears before checking and silencing the room, and continuing. "Missy Mist has urgent letter for you!"

Harry blinked, startled. It wasn't often that Hermione had to contact him urgently-especially not in the middle of the night. Whatever she needed to tell him must have been extremely important indeed. Since the room had been silenced, and Ron, ever the heavy sleeper, hadn't even stirred, Harry simply accepted the roll of parchment from Dobby, and after the House-Elf lit a nearby candle, began to read.

_Raven Serpent,_

_I'm sorry for sending this so abruptly, but you know how I've been looking into Horcruxes and how to destroy them, right? Well, according to a fair few books, basilisk venom looks like it might be our best bet if we want or need to destroy any. Removing a soul piece from its container, however, also destroys said container. Meaning, unfortunately, if we wanted to remove the Horcrux that's very likely inside you, you'll have to die. Whether you can even come back or recover from something like that is another question entirely._

_There hasn't been a single documented case of a human Horcrux before, and even animal Horcruxes are extremely rare, so there really is no telling what any of this might entail. If that basilisk you killed is still in the Chamber of Secrets, its fangs will be useful weapons for us, but we can't very well take one of the fangs and stab you in the forehead with it. I mean, we_ can, _but obviously we don't want to risk something like that._

_I'm still researching, but that's the gist of what I've learned._

_Violet Mist_

Harry realized immediately what all this meant. He knew Dumbledore was fully aware about the Horcruxes. He had to be. And at the same time, it was also very unlikely that Voldemort had any idea that Dumbledore knew. He was too cocky about this stuff. And all this meant, was that Dumbledore was setting both him and Voldemort up. One to kill, and one to be killed, and perhaps which of them fulfilled which role didn't even matter to him.

That settles it, he decided. They were definitely not going to be helping the Light anymore, and he knew now that he really needed to contact Voldemort sooner rather than later. There was no telling what might end up happening if he didn't start taking initiative here...

* * *

As if aware they were plotting something, Mrs Weasley kept both Ron and Harry busy for the next couple of days, piling them with chores. Of course, she had underestimated Harry's speed when it came to completing things like chores, so it really wasn't long at all before the two teens were able to hole up in Ron's room, quietly summon Dobby, and both ward and silence the room so they could discuss things without fear.

The first thing Harry did, was show Ron the letters he had received-the one from their trip to Diagon Alley, and then the one Hermione had written, allowing him to read them for himself. He did so with a thoughtful frown, before passing the parchment back, his frown deepening.

"Well," Ron began, "there isn't anything we can do about Ginny and those love potions besides you being more careful than usual, like the twins said. As for Hermione's letter, the whole basilisk fangs thing is good, seeing as we conveniently have a few lying around in a place only you and Voldemort can get in to. Speaking of which, how soon do you plan on writing to him?"

"At this point? As soon as possible," Harry replied, dragging his fingers through his dark hair. "He's been setting us up, Ron. This entire time, for all these years, he's been setting us up. I'll keep playing along for now, just so he doesn't get suspicious, but our group's planning and actions is about to increase."

Ron nodded in understanding. "I doubt any one of us is going to have any issues with that. How long do you think you're going to need to write that letter?"

Harry blinked. "Dunno. Why?"

"Gotta run interference, don't I? Otherwise mum'll start questioning where you are and what you're doing."

"Shit. Right. How long can you keep her busy?"

Ron chewed on his tongue, thinking. "I could say I forgot to get something in Diagon Alley," he said after a moment. "There's no way she'll let me go alone, and there are no other adults who would be able to go with me, so that just leaves her. You and Ginny will be the only ones here, but she's been spending a lot of time in her room, so I don't think she'll bother you."

Harry nodded as he listened. "Makes sense, and I think that'll be our best bet. Your mum also always has something or another to buy, so you'll probably be in the Alley for a while."

The redhead sighed sorrowfully. "It's a small price to pay," he spoke mournfully.

Harry just laughed...

* * *

Their plan went better than expected, and before the reluctant Boy-Who-Lived knew it, he was one of the only two occupants at the Burrow, locked in Ron's room. As he had been assured, Ginny seemed to be leaving him alone for the moment, which gave him ample time to begin working on that letter.

Unfortunately, this was a lot harder than he had been expecting it to be. He couldn't allow for any hints that gave away his identity, not to mention he was trying to write to Voldemort of all people. The letter had to be written well enough that he would actually take it seriously.

Why wasn't Hermione writing this again? Oh, right, because Harry was the only one from them who actually really knew the Dark Lord. Dammit.

* * *

The Dark Lord Voldemort, known to few as Marvolo Slytherin, was just finishing up a meeting with his most loyal Death Eaters, in the throne room of Riddle Manor. He was seated on his throne, peering out at them with deadly crimson eyes. He was bored. They were boring him. And that was quite irritating.

Since they had nothing new or important to tell him, he simply dismissed him and silently watched them trek out. And it was only once they were gone that he allowed himself to lean back in his seat. Brushing dark hair out of his eyes, he called for a House-Elf and requested a glass of wine.

The hair was a new thing that he hadn't gotten used to just yet. He had been pleased at the body he had been resurrected in the other year, simply because it was better than nothing, but that bald, pale, noseless, snake eyed appearance, while certainly delivering fear, did nothing for his pride.

And then, suddenly, a year later, everything changed abruptly. He had, for a lack of better words, regained a great amount of the sanity he hadn't realized he had even lost. It hadn't taken him long to realize what had happened either. His diary Horcrux had been destroyed. He knew for a fact that it was that one too. His first Horcrux had contained half of his soul, and when half your soul was removed and then returned to you, you knew it.

And with that returning sanity, had been the return of his old appearance. Well, for the most part. When he had begun noticing the change, he had assumed he would take on his teenage appearance, as he had been when he had created his first Horcrux. But no, he certainly didn't look sixteen, that was for sure. He was older than that, by a decade at the very least, and perhaps a year or two more.

That was fine though. A Dark Lord was taken more seriously when they didn't resemble a child, and his charm and confidence backed that up. His Inner Circle, the only ones who knew so far, were proof of that.

They were more relaxed around him now, less fear and more faith. They listened closer, worked harder, and seemed eager to please him. His appearance, it seemed, had gone a long way. Oh they were still afraid-he _was_ the Dark Lord, but the return of his largest soul piece had...mellowed him out somewhat, and they noticed it immediately.

When dealing with his Outer Circle, however, Voldemort kept up a glamour of his snake-like appearance. They still needed fear to fuel them for now. Things would change, naturally, and some of them were inching towards joining his Inner Circle soon, but for now, this would suffice.

But there were other problems too. Ones with the war. The Light and Dark were at a stalemate of sorts, and neither side had anything that would change their position drastically.

He sipped his wine slowly, one of his long legs crossed over the other, crimson eyes drawn in thought. He needing something. Just one thing that could push his side forward, even if just a little. Any advantage was a good one, at this point in time.

Marvolo didn't realize his wish was about to be granted...

There was a quiet pop. Eyes narrowing, Marvolo set his wineglass down, arming himself with his wand instead. There was an envelope sitting on the floor at his feet. How it had gotten there, the man didn't know. He was certain he hadn't looked away. Not even for an instant. Had he?

He didn't move to touch the envelope, and instead, waved his yew wand over it, scanning it with a multitude of spells that came back clear of anything negative. The only thing on it seemed to be a identity charm, informing him it was meant for his eyes only. But that also meant that there were surely hidden hexes or curses that would activate should anyone other than him attempt to read, or perhaps even touch it.

Curious now, he reached down and picked it up. Nothing happened, confirming his suspicions. Examining it carefully, he noted that the envelope itself was plain-blank, without any indication for who it was meant for, or who it was from. He flipped it over, seeing that the back was just as plain as the front.

Slitting it open, he carefully pulled out the parchment from within, unfolded it, and saw that it was addressed to him. Curiosity growing, he began to read.

_Voldemort,_

_I'm sure it's odd for you to receive mail that actually makes it through the many powerful wards surrounding your manor, but it's very necessary for us to speak. I acknowledge that you won't do so in person quite yet, so I'll settle for letters for now._

_I'm going to get straight to the point here. I know about your Horcruxes. I know you made more than one. And I know how to destroy them too. But I won't do that. Why? For reasons I have no desire to elaborate on yet._

_Now, you might be wondering why I decided to write to you-surely, you're assuming I couldn't have done it just to tell you I know how you've made yourself immortal? And you'd be right, too. That isn't the only reason._

_I have a problem, you see. My associates and I no longer have any desire to aid the Light in this war. And while we haven't fully agreed that we would prefer to aid you and your side instead, we are, admittedly, leaning towards it. That, in itself, is not much of a problem. The problem stems from who we are, and what our positions in the Light are._

_A number of us can't just up and...defect, so to speak, without drawing attention to ourselves, and we aren't in a position where we can even do that. What some of us have to offer to the Light is too good for them to give up. But what we can offer them, we can also offer you, and I assure you, the Dark will certainly benefit greatly from it._

_Should you choose to reply to me, you may write me a letter in return, and call for 'Bob', who will deliver the letter to me the moment he is able to do so safely. I only ask that you refer to yourself as 'Crimson Phantom', instead of Voldemort. My associate insisted, and all of us communicate while using code names._

_I hope to hear from you,_

_Raven Serpent_

The throne room was abruptly filled with the sound of a low chuckling, a chuckling the was nearly drowned out by the sudden clap of thunder from outside its many, large windows.

And here, Marvolo thought, may be the very advantage he had been looking for. How very intriguing indeed...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Confirmed alias: Ebony Snow-Fred Weasley, Ivory Rain-George Weasley, Crimson Phantom-Voldemort, Bob-Dobby. Comments? Kudos?


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Golden Trio isn't as Light as they seem. Secretly, they plot against Dumbledore as they convince others to join them. In the middle of all this, Harry Potter begins correspondence with the leader of the Dark himself. Except the thing is, Tom Riddle, or Lord Voldemort, if you prefer, doesn't know who exactly he is writing to. How will he react to the truth when he finds out?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo! Thank you to all readers so far!

September was drawing closer, and Harry had yet to hear from Voldemort. He knew the Dark Lord had received his letter-Dobby had told him as much, having remained behind to watch the man read it. The House-Elf had also informed him that Voldemort appeared to have taken it pretty seriously, reading it all the way through before even reacting to it, and even then, all he had done was laugh before folding the letter, placing it back in its envelope, sliding it into his pocket, and then getting up and leaving the room.

The fact that the letter hadn't been destroyed was a good sign, according to both Ron and Hermione. Even if the Dark Lord didn't respond immediately, he, at least, wasn't completely ignoring it. Hermione claimed it was more likely that the man was actually thinking and considering things, probably trying to work out the pros and cons to this entire situation-whether it was worth his time to write back or not.

That made sense to Harry, so, needing to lay low for a while, since their group had been pretty active recently, he and Ron enjoyed their summer like regular teenage boys would do-reluctantly working on summer homework, and playing a lot of Quidditch out back, while Ron talked about girls, and Harry made it sound like he himself was talking about girls, even though he really wasn't, which amused his best friend to no end...

And it was on the final day of August, when Harry was finding his things to pack his trunk in preparation for tomorrow, that he came across an envelope that had been hidden in one of his Defence textbooks that had been sitting on the kitchen table. Huh...

Making sure he was alone, he slit the envelope open, pulled out the sheet of parchment, unfolded it, and quickly scanned through it. His brow rose in surprise. It seemed Voldemort had actually replied to his letter. Well then, this he most certainly had to read.

With the Burrow now acting as the headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix, which held meetings at odd times, there was no telling what sort of spells, monitoring or not, would be active throughout the house, whether it be day or night. Especially with Dumbledore calling the shots and all.

Harry wanted to go through the letter alone, before informing Ron about it, and with his friend having a...private moment with himself, Harry couldn't exactly go around calling for Dobby up there. And since there was a meeting today, the house was packed with people, nearly all of whom were active Order members, who had split into multiple groups, situating themselves in various rooms to pass time until said meeting began. Because of this, Harry was able to think of only one place where he could go be alone, while being guaranteed full privacy, even from spells...and promptly locked himself up in the loo.

_Raven Serpent,_

_It seems that with a single letter, you have accomplished something near impossible-you have succeeded in catching my interest. While I, admittedly and unsurprisingly, do not trust you in any fashion, I am curious enough to reply to you. The fact that you even had the courage to pen that first letter is surprising, I must say._

_You have learned of my Horcruxes, have you? An impressive feat indeed. That you know what they even are is astounding in itself. Very, very few even know what they are called. Tell me, did you learn of them yourself, or was it something that you were told of by another? And I am hardly concerned that you will destroy my Horcruxes. Knowing how to do so is one thing, knowing how many I have made, discovering what they are, and finding them in those areas, are a whole other endeavour._

_I am not particularly surprised that you and your associates wish to 'defect' as you put it. A fair few do, once they begin learning what the Light is truly about. However, do you simply wish to join my side because we are against the Light? Or are you actually aware of what our goals are?_

_As you insist,_   
_Crimson Phantom_

Harry hummed low in his throat as he reached the end of the letter. So Hermione and Ron had been right after all. The man was curious, but skeptical, and Harry supposed he couldn't really blame him for that. The letter had ended with a question, and the teen had a feeling the Dark Lord wasn't going to write anything more until he himself replied back first. Whatever he answered with now would decide whether Voldemort would continue this correspondence, or ignore them...

* * *

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Luna were seated in a compartment on the Hogwarts express, finally heading back to school. Harry had filled Hermione, Neville and Luna in on what had been happening, and showed them all Voldemort's letter.

"I definitely think this might be our only chance," said the bushy haired witch. "He's too cautious. If you don't manage to properly get his attention now, he'll either try to track you down, or just full out ignore you." She cocked her head. "Although, I suppose he'll try to track you down regardless. I have no doubt he'll want to know who exactly you are."

That was a fair point, and pretty much what Harry had been thinking himself. In some ways, heading back to Hogwarts made things easier for them, but in other ways, made things much harder.

"I'll write back to him," Harry spoke after a pause, "and keep using Dobby too. Dumbledore won't expect that, and you know he'll be keeping a close eye on me. And judging by his behaviour when he brought me to the Burrow, so will Snape, though maybe for different reasons."

Ron frowned, leaned back in his seat, and fingered the Chocolate Frog card he was holding. "Snape, huh?" His brow creased. "Wonder whose side he's really on?"

"It's hard to say," Hermione replied with a sigh. "Most often, it  _does_  seem like he's with the Light, but...we  _do_  know he at least  _used_  to be a Death Eater. We know he's a spy too, and we also know Voldemort holds him in high regard-that's how he's able to get so much information."

"He could just be using both sides. Maybe he's waiting to see which one will benefit him more?"

"That's a fair point, and certainly an option, but I don't think there's really a way of knowing for sure."

"Well, not without asking him about it himself, which we obviously aren't about to do just yet..."

"What are you going to do about the DA, Harry?" Neville asked suddenly.

Ron's eyes widened. "Right. Umbridge should be gone now, sick bitch."

Harry dragged his fingers through his hair. "The point of the DA was to make up for her shit lessons," he said, "but- Do any of you know who the Defence professor is going to be this year?" he asked his friends.

All of them shook their heads.

"Dumbledore never said a thing when anyone asked him, according to the twins," said Ron.

Harry inclined his head in understanding. "Then whether or not the DA continues on will most likely depend on who the new professor might be. If they're as bad as Umbridge-which should be impossible, then it may restart. Otherwise, it'll depend on my workload. Classes aren't the only thing we're concerned with anymore."

That was a fair point. While the DA would help a small number of people, resolving the war was far more important than that right now. And with Harry the leader of both this third secret side, and the DA, it all depend on how much time he had, or how much he could handle at once.

"I enjoyed the DA," said Luna suddenly. "I hope it can continue."

Harry simply smiled.

* * *

The students reached Hogwarts without incident, and everyone settled at their respective House Tables, waiting for the first years to arrive so that the Sorting could begin. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville (Luna now at Ravenclaw Table, away from them), knew not to speak of anything they didn't want people hearing, and casually discussed their OWL results. With the way Ginny turned her body slightly towards them, they knew she was listening too, even though she wasn't actually facing them. Wow, how subtle.

"Well well well," Harry voiced suddenly. He gestured towards the Head Table. "Check out the new Defence professor."

The others looked. There was only one new face up at that table. A new face that wasn't actually a  _new_ face at all.

Ron whistled. "Lucius Malfoy, huh? Wonder if that's a good idea."

"It's hard to say," Hermione replied, raising a goblet to her lips to sip some water. "With him, things could go either way."

"Yeah," Neville agreed. "We know who he  _really_ works for, even if he won't actually admit it. Things could go bad with him around, depending."

They weren't saying anything outright. Didn't  _want_ to say anything outright. There were too many people around to hear them. But they knew how to be somewhat subtle. Those listening in would assume they meant something entirely different.

"What do you think, Harry?" Ron inquired of his best friend.

Harry frowned, green eyes on the platinum haired man seated up at the Staff Table beside Snape. "I think we're going to have to rethink things."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it for now. I'd have more to say, but my head currently feels like it's exploding, partly because I'm dehydrated, and partly because I actually managed to sleep for more than six hours last night-that's more than the past three days combined. I'd call it a miracle if I believed in those. Anyway, comments? Kudos?


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